IONH
Well-known member
So I purchased a Cen-tech (Harbor Freight) #66550 inspection camera a couple of years ago for probably $80 on sale minus a coupon. Now they are a different color (gray/red) and a different model number, so this information may or may not apply.
I'd only used it a couple of times early on to inspect a valve retainer with its mirror attachment. Worked great for that. However, I tried to use it maybe a year later and of course the batteries were dead. I replaced the batteries in the gun (camera) portion and plugged in the display, but the display would not power on.
I left the display plugged in to the outlet for 3 or 4 days as I had forgotten about it. When I came back out and pressed the power button, the LED flickered briefly, but that was it. I left it for another couple days and came back out and it turned on that time and worked normally. I knew the battery was probably junk so I used it plugged in and eventually put it away again.
Today I wanted to use it at my mom's house to look at how an ancient (40+ year) installation of a NG oven was done but, of course, the battery was dead and it did not respond when plugged into an outlet. Being frustrated with it again, I decided to open it up and see what type of battery it had in order to find a replacement.
Upon opening, I see it has a 3.7V 1750 mAh battery. The manual for the product claims it is Lithium Ion. I was not able to find the battery on the internet based on the markings (see picture).
The original charge adapter was 8V so I didn't feel safe using that. Into the storage bin with misc DC adapters I went to find something with a close voltage. Out comes a Sony 4.5VDC adapter.
I tore the original battery off some circuit board. I do not know what the board is for, but I expected it was a voltage regulator, stabilizer or even a charge controller... Took a couple pieces of wire and touched them on the DC adapter and put them onto the board where the battery leads had been previously located. Nothing happened.
Moved the wire leads to the wires going onto the main board, bypassing the prior battery board and the LED flickered on. Good sign!
Touched them a bit more securely together and was able to turn the monitor on. It worked!
I may try stealing one of the 3x AAA battery cradles out of a flash light and strapping it to the monitor as that would give me 4.5V. Maybe 3x AA would be better as I think that'd be 3.6V, but those cradles aren't available in random flash lights I have laying around.
I'd only used it a couple of times early on to inspect a valve retainer with its mirror attachment. Worked great for that. However, I tried to use it maybe a year later and of course the batteries were dead. I replaced the batteries in the gun (camera) portion and plugged in the display, but the display would not power on.
I left the display plugged in to the outlet for 3 or 4 days as I had forgotten about it. When I came back out and pressed the power button, the LED flickered briefly, but that was it. I left it for another couple days and came back out and it turned on that time and worked normally. I knew the battery was probably junk so I used it plugged in and eventually put it away again.
Today I wanted to use it at my mom's house to look at how an ancient (40+ year) installation of a NG oven was done but, of course, the battery was dead and it did not respond when plugged into an outlet. Being frustrated with it again, I decided to open it up and see what type of battery it had in order to find a replacement.
Upon opening, I see it has a 3.7V 1750 mAh battery. The manual for the product claims it is Lithium Ion. I was not able to find the battery on the internet based on the markings (see picture).
The original charge adapter was 8V so I didn't feel safe using that. Into the storage bin with misc DC adapters I went to find something with a close voltage. Out comes a Sony 4.5VDC adapter.
I tore the original battery off some circuit board. I do not know what the board is for, but I expected it was a voltage regulator, stabilizer or even a charge controller... Took a couple pieces of wire and touched them on the DC adapter and put them onto the board where the battery leads had been previously located. Nothing happened.
Moved the wire leads to the wires going onto the main board, bypassing the prior battery board and the LED flickered on. Good sign!
Touched them a bit more securely together and was able to turn the monitor on. It worked!
I may try stealing one of the 3x AAA battery cradles out of a flash light and strapping it to the monitor as that would give me 4.5V. Maybe 3x AA would be better as I think that'd be 3.6V, but those cradles aren't available in random flash lights I have laying around.
